The present invention relates generally to a system and method of detecting the amount of liquid in an absorbent article while it is being worn by a wearer and for alerting the wearer or a caregiver to the fullness status.
An absorbent article containing a superabsorbent material is typically capable of holding more than an average urine insult from a wearer such as a baby or an incontinent adult. Thus, users often will not change the absorbent article until it contains a bowel movement or the absorbent article feels saturated with urine. Wetness indicators have been developed so that users can know when an insult has occurred.
Absorbent articles associated with wetness indicators provide a signal to a user when the absorbent article has been insulted. The indicators send an electrical signal to a device that transmits visible, vibratory and/or audible notice that an insult has occurred. Typically, a pair of spaced-apart parallel conductors is situated within the absorbent material of the undergarment. These conductors are in electrical contact with the absorbent material of the undergarment and are connected to a sensing circuit for monitoring the electrical property.
When absorbent articles include a wetness indicator with conductors that are in electrical contact with the absorbent material of the undergarment, the machine line on which the absorbent articles are made is altered in the portion of the line where the article's absorbent structure is made. This is disruptive to the manufacturing process. Further, incorporating conductive leads in an absorbent core at conventional manufacturing speeds has been problematic.
In addition to challenges associated with the manufacture of absorbent articles with electrodes incorporated in the absorbent article, the user may desire to know not only that the absorbent article is wet, but the level of wetness. Without knowing whether the absorbent is near to or has reached saturation, one may change the article prematurely.